“Thankfully, the first impressions when driving up to the lodge were unfounded.”
.. The state of some of the neighbouring properties did raise some concerns, but this particular one was fine both inside and out, so don't be put off!
The lodge is spacious (with the open plan kitchen/dining/living area being about 12 m x 6 m by my pacing), well laid out, and well equipped. One of the handiest little areas is the cupboard containing the boiler, as it is nice and warm and perfect for drying any boots, coats, dog towels etc. If anything though, the lodge is too well equipped with various little gizmos like juicers and electric salt/pepper grinders; having so much in there makes it near impossible to turn round for the next guests without compromising on cleanliness. Don't get me wrong, we had no issues with cleanliness as a whole, as it was well presented on our arrival, but if picking up rarely used items, be prepared for them to be sticky and/or not clean.
The 2 single beds were comfy and fully adjustable, but the super king-size bed is solid - almost like sleeping on a wooden box! This is personal preference but if you're expecting luxurious comfort you may be disappointed - though one of the sofas is very large and comfortable so would make a perfect substitute! The living area was fantastic with views to die for! As mentioned, the sofas were comfortable and large, there was plenty of space, and the multi-fuel stove added a nice touch without making the lodge unbearably hot! It was actually quite cold when we arrived, but soon warmed up using the heating alone.
Although dogs need to be kept on a lead in the surrounding area, due to sheep roaming the hills and village, there is an enclosed area around the house so it is possible to let them have a little freedom. We also found that towards the tops of the surrounding hills, we were able to let them off as there was no sheep up there - obviously need to be vigilant though.
There were some negatives to our stay though. The shower in the en suite room (held together with insulating tape) never managed to reach a usable temperature so we had to use the one in the main bathroom. In the evening we tended to use the bath, though it was tricky to get the water to heat enough at times - we tended to switch the heating off and run the tap in the sink first, and that seemed to do the trick! There were also some repairs, other than the shower, just waiting to be done such as the unattached sink strainers in the kitchen sink and the wonky toilet roll holder in the en suite.
All in all though, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would recommend staying here. The area is lovely and I would be keen to return. With some running repairs and some TLC this lodge would be elevated from very good to excellent!
Thank you for feedback and we have taken you comments on board. The shower unit has been fixed and is now working. Also a mattress topper has been put on the bed.
Sykes owner relations